System and method for customized communications based upon contact relationships

Abstract

A method and system for customized communication routing based on contact relationships including attempting to reach a first contact of a plurality of contacts in a contact list and determining that the attempt to reach the first contact failed. The method and system then invokes an alternative action to reach the first contact by an agency of at least one of the plurality of contacts. The alternative action is based on a relationship between the first contact and the plurality of contacts and includes contacting one or more second contacts through a voice call and/or contacting the first contact concurrent with one or more second contacts through a text message. The relationship between the first contact and the plurality of contacts may be determined based on information provided from one or more communication devices and/or based on information obtained from a social network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for customized communication routing based upon contact relationships comprising:
 attempting to reach a first contact of a plurality of contacts in a contact list;   determining that the attempt to reach the first contact failed; and   invoking an alternative action to reach the first contact by an agency of at least one of the plurality of contacts.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alternative action is based on a relationship between the first contact and the at least one of the plurality of contacts. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the alternative action comprises attempting to contact a second contact in the contact list based on its relationship to the first contact. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the alternative action comprises delivering a list including at least a second contact based on the relationship to the first contact. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the alternative action further comprises contacting one or more second contacts through a voice call. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the alternative action further comprises contacting the first contact and one or more second contacts through at least one text message. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the relationship between the first contact and the at least one of the plurality of contacts is determined based on information provided from one or more communication devices. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the relationship between the first contact and at least one of the plurality of contacts is determined based on information obtained from at least one social network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the relationship between the first contact and at least one of the plurality of contacts is determined based on information obtained from historical data. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the relationship between the first contact and at least one of the plurality of contacts comprises relationship type. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the relationship type comprises a family, a friend, a business or an association. 
     
     
         12 . A system for customized communication routing based upon contact relationships comprising:
 a processing unit; and   a contacts unit,   
       wherein the processing unit is configured to:
 attempt to reach a first contact of a plurality of contacts in a contact list; 
 determine that the attempt to reach the first contact failed; and 
 invoke an alternative action to reach the first contact by an agency of at least one of the plurality of contacts. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the alternative action is based a relationship between the first contact and at least one of the plurality of contacts.